Timothy M. Bonds

Photo of Timothy Bonds
Senior Fellow
Santa Monica Office

Education

M.B.A. in business administration, Washington University in St. Louis; M.S. in aero/astro engineering, University of Illinois; B.S. in aero/astro engineering, University of Michigan

Media Resources

This researcher is available for interviews.

To arrange an interview, contact the RAND Office of Media Relations at (310) 451-6913, or email media@rand.org.

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Overview

Timothy M. Bonds is a senior fellow at the RAND Corporation. From 2011 to 2019, he was the vice president, Army Research Division, and director of the RAND Arroyo Center. Previously, he served as the acting director from 2009 to 2010, the deputy director from 2003 to 2009, and the director of the Aerospace Force Development Program within RAND Project AIR FORCE from 1999 to 2003. A member of the RAND staff for over twenty-six years, Bonds has led a variety of studies for the Arroyo Center, Project AIR FORCE, and the National Defense Research Institute. Areas of emphasis include assessing the forces and capabilities needed to meet national security objectives and commitments, evaluating C2 (command and control) capabilities, personnel mission-day metrics, and the military employment of commercial space systems and services. He has served as a member of the Air Force Scientific Advisory Board, and as a consultant to the Army Science Board. Among his most recent publications are America’s Strategy-Resource Mismatch: Addressing the Gaps Between U.S. National Strategy and Military Capacity, Limiting Regret: Building the Army We Will Need, Strategy-Policy Mismatch – How the US Army Can Help Close Gaps in Countering Weapons of Mass Destruction, and Army Deployments to OIF and OEF. Prior to joining RAND, Bonds spent nine years in the aerospace industry, where he developed hypersonic vehicles. He holds an M.S. in aerospace engineering from the University of Illinois and an M.B.A. from Washington University in St. Louis.

Research Focus

Selected Publications

Timothy M. Bonds, Michael Johnson, Paul S. Steinberg, Limiting Regret: Building the Army We Will Need, RAND Corporation (RR-1320), 2015

Timothy M. Bonds, Dave Baiocchi, Laurie L. McDonald, Army Deployments to OIF and OEF, RAND Corporation (DB-587), 2010

Timothy M. Bonds, Myron Hura, Thomas-Durell Young, Enhancing Army Joint Force Headquarters Capabilities, RAND Corporation (MG-675), 2010

Timothy M. Bonds et al., Measuring the Tempo of the Mobility Air Forces, RAND Corporation (TR-150), 2005

Timothy M. Bonds et al., Employing Commercial Satellite Communications, RAND Corporation (MR-1192), 2000

Timothy M. Bonds, Eric V. Larson, Derek Eaton, Richard E. Darilek, Strategy-Policy Mismatch: How the U.S. Army Can Help Close Gaps in Countering Weapons of Mass Destruction, RAND Corporation (RR-541), 2014

Commentary

  • U.S. Army Rangers prepare for extraction during Task Force Training on Camp Roberts, California

    U.S. Needs Larger Army, Not a Smaller One

    To meet potential challenges in the Baltics and Korea while at the same time countering the existing terror threat posed by the Islamic State group and dealing with other problems that will doubtless emerge, the United States would need more troops, not less.

    Sep 9, 2015 Army Times

  • car interior with a dashboard computer

    Sounding the Car Alarm on Hackers

    Security protections on vehicles have not kept pace with systems that control safety features, navigation capabilities, and wireless communication functions. Onboard computer networks will likely become much more attractive to hackers, whether their aim is to steal a car, eavesdrop on a conversation, stalk a potential victim, or cause a devastating traffic accident.

    Jun 30, 2014 The San Francisco Chronicle

  • Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, Gansu province

    Satellites for Rent

    Reports earlier this year that the U.S. Department of Defense leased a Chinese satellite to support military operations in Africa sparked concern that the arrangement could compromise control over U.S. military communications, or, worse, allow Chinese intelligence gatherers access to privileged military data.

    Nov 8, 2013 U.S. News & World Report

  • South Carolina Guard Soldiers keep sharp during Kuwait deployment

    Bad Stats Skew Defense Needs

    The urgency with which the fiscal cliff question must be addressed should not excuse faulty calculations when it comes to the U.S. military's operational and personnel needs, write Tim Bonds and Lauren Skrabala.

    Dec 7, 2012 The Orange County Register

Publications